For Better or for Worse, Like it or Not
by mauviafitzwilliamdarcygray
Summary: Clary has never been anywhere or done anything... literally. Her family has been in hiding her whole life because of her father's past crimes, but now her father is forcing her to get married at first sight. Could the worse thing that has ever happened to her turn into the best? Pretty much all TMI characters (not at first but just wait) all human.
1. Chapter 1

No matter how doomed your life may seem, there will always be certain things in the world, beautiful things that give you hope to keep fighting; the sunlight streaming through lush, green treetops, for example, or the light feeling you get in your stomach when you make someone smile. Some things in life should be admired no matter how dull, dreary, and depressing your life is. At least, that is what I decided as I sat by the window in my little, attic room admiring the landscape of rolling green hills outside and trying my best to capture the beauty in my drawing.

I never got tired of the view. After countless years of running and hiding, it was this view that made this house my home. My father had been a sort of liberal back in the city, and although he had never told his family what he had done, he was wanted for treason against the federal government. He had a newborn baby and a wife who couldn't support themselves, so he did the only thing he knew (and something that he would become extremely good at), he took his family and ran. They hid in various small apartments in the city, always with different aliases, until somewhere along the line they had another baby, me, Clary.

The first ten years of my life were spent tucked away in a room with only my mother and my older brother Jonathan while our father navigated the underground city in attempts of finding somewhere more permanent to hide. Finally, we moved out to the country to live in a small farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, owned by one of my mother's friends who lived in the city.

Here we had been safe for almost eight years, but I had always been isolated. My brother and I were homeschooled by our mother and had barely spoken to anyone else our own age. Well at least I hadn't, except for my imaginary friend Simon that I had until I was twelve. I was vaguely aware that my brother often snuck out and had a life in the city, calling himself Chris, which was, in fact, his middle name.

I had been trying to draw the landscape for the millionth time, but it was turning out to look like every other copy. There was nothing new. I wanted a change. No. I _needed_ a change. Maybe if I asked, Father would let me go into the city with Jon for a day or so.

My thoughts were interrupted by my mother, who had let herself in without knocking.

"Clary," she said calmly. "Your father wishes to speak with you."

I sighed; making sure it was loud enough for my mother to hear. "I'll be down in a minute."

"Now," My mother commanded in a firmer tone.

I just nodded and stood up reluctantly, my red hair falling into my face. As I walked down the stairs toward Father's office- a small room with many books that I had always referred to as our library- my hands worked unconsciously to pull my unruly curls into a messy bun. My mother went in first and walked straight over to the desk to pick up his empty bowl and glass from lunch. I stood at a distance, waiting for instructions.

"Would you like anything else, Valentine?" My mother asked before leaving us alone in the office.

"No, Jocelyn. Leave us." He didn't try to hide the harshness in his voice, but it was always like that. This might be my only chance to ask him what I had been thinking for months.

"Father," I began, taking the seat in front of his desk, "I would like... I mean, I feel..."

"Spit it out, Clarissa. We have other matters to discuss."

"I want to go to college!" I blurted it out faster than I had planned. The words just came out of my mouth like word vomit. My father, however, barely reacted.

"Now why would you want to do something like that?" He said with an almost smirk. "I didn't go to college and neither did your mother and hardly any of our friends. You don't need to go to college, dear."

"I want to get out of here. I want to see the city and live a normal life for once!" I was about ready to plead and beg. "I know that you know Jon goes out sometimes. It could work."

"Oh, but Clarissa, I have already found you a solution! And you won't have to go to college." He smiled, a rare occasion with Valentine Morgenstern that could only mean one thing: he had a plan and this was somehow working right into it.

I thought of all the possibilities! My father was actually going to let me go out! Dumbstruck, I asked curiously, "What?"

"You are going to get married."

"You are going to get married."

It took me a few seconds to actually comprehend what my father had said, and when I did, I had a tiny panic attack. "WHAT?"

"I have arranged a marriage for you to one of my friend's son, and in return, they will help keep us hidden."

"No!" I was outraged that my father would even consider this. My disbelief was so strong that I couldn't think of a solid argument.

"You will marry him whether you like it or not."

I faltered, searching my mind for some excuse, some way to get out of this. "You can't make me. It's against the law."

"Written laws don't apply to me, Clarissa. The only rules I follow are my own." It was times like these that my own father frightened me, as a wicked smile spread across his face. "Don't make me force you."

"No!" I repeated. "I will not marry some guy I've never met!"

"Oh yes you will," my father said furiously as he searched for something in his desk drawer.

"What are you doing?" I asked, getting scared. I knew what he did to Jon, but I never thought he would do it to me.

"Clarissa, turn around and take off your shirt."

"Father, please," I begged. He was serious.

"Do it!" He yelled.

Slowly I turned around as tears formed in my eyes. I pulled my already ratty T-shirt over my head and stood in front of my father in just a sports bra. I walked forward to put my hands on the wall and brace myself. The first lash hurt more than anything I had ever felt before, but the pain increased with each one. On the fifth lash, the pain was so bad that I collapsed to my knees. My father gave me five more while I was on the ground. The whole time he was yelling things, telling me to be obedient and to shut up and do what I am told. When it was all over I lay in a fetal position on the floor, crying out in pain and shielding my eyes from my father.

"The wedding is on Friday. You will be there, and you will get married," he said firmly before walking out of the room and leaving me alone.

Jon found me soon after. He must've heard my screams because his face showed his concern as soon as he ran in.

"Clary!" he exclaimed as he took in the gruesome sight of my back. "What happened? Why did father do this to you?"

"He's…" I struggled to get out the words between sobs, "…forcing my to marry someone I've never met."

He looked surprised, but I could tell he was more concerned about my bleeding back. "Let's get you cleaned up and then you can tell me everything."

I nodded and somehow my brother was able to help me back to my room. I laid face down on the bed while he went to the bathroom to get a towel. He came back with my towel, soaked with cold water, and placed it carefully on my back. Then he sat beside me as I told him the whole story.

"...My world is ending," I said, finishing the story. Jon sat there in silence with a mixed expression of disbelief and anger on his face.

Then the anger took over. "No. Father cannot do this. I won't let him!"

I reached my arm out toward my brother, attempting to calm him down. Jon had a terrible temper. "There's nothing we can do, Jon. He'll just keep doing this until I do what he wants."

I felt him relax a bit as he understood. He pulled back and opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the yell of our mother, telling us dinner was ready.

"I can't go down there right now," I asked, pleading with my eyes. "Can you cover for me?"

"Absolutely." Jon always understood what I needed.

Jon closed the door behind him, leaving me all alone on my bed. All of a sudden, I felt very tired and decided to take a very long nap. Between sniffles and sobs, I eventually drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: So, sorry about the awkward pause in the middle of the chapter. It was originally two separate chapters, but they were so short so I decided to give you guys both! I have the first few chapters pre-typed and I have a pretty good idea about how I want the first half to go but I don't know what I want to do from there so review with your ideas and I might work them in! I would usually promise to update everyday but school starts next week and I don't want to have to whip out a chapter and it be bad, so if you let me take my time, I will try to make it good. **


	2. Chapter 2

My mother let me sleep in the next day. When she finally woke me up, the sun was streaming brightly through the windows. My back ached dreadfully as I tried to sit up. I looked down to see that I was still wearing my jeans and ruined T-shirt from last night. Last night… I collapsed back onto the bed, remembering the terrible events of the previous evening.

"Come on, Clary," My mother said in her usual, gentle voice. "You have to wake up."

"What time is it?" I mumbled sleepily, trying to sit up while simultaneously blocking the sunlight from by eyes.

"Just after noon. I would let you sleep longer, but we need to alter my dress for you."

Suddenly, I was very awake. "Mom, how can you be okay with this?"

She sat down next to me and covered my hand with hers. "Clary, my little girl, believe me that this is not the way I wanted you to get married, but what I want more than anything is for you to have a normal life. This is your opportunity. I don't want this life of running and hiding for you. It is no way to live, and you deserve better."

She had tears in her eyes, and it hurt me to see my mother so upset, but I didn't know how I could do this. "How can I marry a man I've never met? I don't even know his name."

My mother made a noise of annoyance. "That is just like your father. I cannot believe he sprung this on you without giving you any details."

I let a tiny laugh escape my lips, though it was sad and pathetic. Something about my mother's facial expression was making me feel better.

"Okay," she began. "His name is Jace Herondale, and I have never met him, but his parents are wonderful people. I have heard that he is quite handsome, though. Your wedding is tomorrow, but I wouldn't worry too much. It will be very small, just his parents and our family. They have a family friend who is a monk, so he will be coming here to marry you. Then you will move into his apartment in the city."

I was just nodding, overwhelmed by the amount of information. One thing did stand out to me, though: he has an apartment in the city, and I would be living there.

"Wait," I said, suddenly remembering something important. I was born on the run. There was no documentation of me, whatsoever. On paper, I didn't exist. "How can I get married if I don't have a birth certificate or an ID?"

"Ah, do you remember my friend Tessa Gray?" she asked.

"Yes."

"She is stopping by today with everything you will need, and she is bringing by the marriage license."

"Oh." Damn it. They thought of everything. That could've been my way out.

"I'll tell you what," my mom said with a smile. "You can sleep until she gets here."

"Finally, some good news," I said, rolling my eyes and getting back under the covers.

* * *

A few hours later, I was showered, dressed, and sitting across from a young girl with wavy, brown hair. The documents that Tessa had brought with her were now spread across our kitchen table as she looked over them with my mother. It often amazed me that my mom was friends with someone so young. Tessa could at most be a few years older than me. I wonder how they met.

"Until tomorrow, your new name is Clary Fray," she said, indicating my new name that was printed on a birth certificate, a driver's license, and even a passport. "I hope you don't mind it. We needed something to put on the marriage license."

"No, it's pretty," I answered without much interest.

Tessa turned to my mom now, probably hoping that she would be more interesting than me. "And who is performing the ceremony?"

"A family friend of the Herondale's. I think his name is Brother something…"

"Brother Zachariah?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes, that's it," my mother confirmed with a smile. "Do you know him?"

"We are old acquaintances."

"Interesting, how did you meet?"

"Actually," Tessa said, standing up. "It is quite a long story, and I really must be going."

My mother nodded and gave her friend a hug. "Another time then."

Then Tessa turned to me, her face full of sympathy. "I know this isn't the best situation, but I think you are strong and can make the best out of it."

I muttered a "thanks" and my mom led her to the door.

* * *

**A/N: Okay so the only benefit of this situation for Clary is getting out of the house, and I think we can all bet that she will want to see everything she can, so where should she go on a trip? Review with countries/cities where they could visit and anything they could do while they're there. Thanks! Still open for suggestions on how the story should go/end...**

**Also I'm really sorry that this chapter is so short but the wedding is the next chapter and its long so keep reading!**

**Please review with any questions! More reviews=quicker posts**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Like I promised, this chapter is longer. Leave a review telling me where they should go on their honeymoon! The next chapters might take longer but I will try to get ch 4 up tomorrow... after that I make no promises! Love you guys for reading! 3 3 3 **

**Review! Review! Review!**

* * *

Most of Friday morning went by in a blur. My mom woke me up to take a shower, and then she did my hair and makeup. I vaguely remember laughing at how stupid Jon looked in a suit and receiving a cold stare from my father. Somehow my mother got me into her wedding dress without much help from me. It didn't have to be altered much since my mom and I are practically the same size, I remember looking in the mirror at myself and feeling like I was playing dress up and not attending my own wedding. Then I heard the mumble of new voices downstairs as the Herondales arrived with my future husband, but I was safely tucked away upstairs and away from sight. Then there was a fair amount of waiting. I'm not sure why though. Everyone was here.

Finally, my mom came to give me a five minute warning. She looked so beautiful dressed up in a dark purple dress. She almost never dressed up. She gave me a hug and left the room, saying she would be back as soon as she went to the bathroom.

I took this opportunity to take one last look in the mirror. I still looked like a little girl playing dress-up, but I also saw that I looked beautiful. My mother had managed to tame my fiery curls in a delicate half up-half down hairstyle, and my makeup was simple. "Just enough to enhance my natural beauty," my mom had said. He dress looked good on me as well. It was a standard white, flowy, floor-length wedding dress except it had gold embroidery on the bodice, giving it a regal feel.

"You are just missing one thing." I started at the sudden sound of my mother's voice after the silence. She now began to position the vail perfectly, as to not mess up my hair. "There," she said when she was satisfied. "Beautiful."

"Are you ready, Clarissa?" my father asked, appearing in the doorway.

I knew he would not like my answer to that question, so I chose not to respond and, instead, followed his downstairs to the French doors that lead outside. My mother told me that she had decorated the patio with chairs and flowers. Indeed, that is what I found when my father opened the doors. The flowers, lilies, were my mother's favorite, but they were pretty all the same. There was no music as I walked down the aisle, arm in arm with my father, which I found incredibly awkward. I looked everywhere to avoid the end of the aisle, where I knew my future husband was waiting. This whole thing was so embarrassing, I couldn't look.

"Clarissa," my father whispered in a threatening tone. "Look up!"

I don't know what I expected to see when I raised my eyes, but Jace Herondale was not it. My mom was right, he was gorgeous. His hair was the color of the sun, matching a set of golden eyes. He was young too, probably a year or two older than I was, and he was definitely fit. The most unusual part was his smile. He was smiling. He was smiling, and looking at me. And, for some strange reason, even though I was being married off to a stranger, his smile made me feel safe. Before I knew it, we had reached the end of the aisle, and my father gave my hand to Jace.

Because of the unusual situation, most of the formalities were skipped. We started with simple vows, then the oh-so-famous 'I do's, and finally the rings. The whole ceremony only took about ten minutes.

"You may kiss the bride."

I froze. I had never kissed anyone. Hell, I had never even talked to a boy before who wasn't my brother. I completely forgot about this part, about having to kiss him. Without thinking about it, I stepped back, shocked. I looked over to where my parents were standing. By the look on my father's face, I could tell he wasn't going to let me out of this. I moved closer to Jace, my husband, looked into his eyes, and gave him a slight nod. He must've seen my wide eyes because all he did was kissed the corner of my mouth, the side closest to my father, to make it look like a full-on kiss. It was barely a peck, both our lips stayed firmly closed, and I was relieved.

Obviously, there was no reception or party, since we were technically still in hiding, but there was some drinking of champagne and lots of faking congratulations. Everyone was pretending to have a good time, but I was assuming this was just as awkward for everyone else as it was for me. I stopped listening to the polite small talk being made by our parents and started wondering what would happen next. I guess I would move in to Jace's apartment, but I hadn't packed any of my stuff and I still hadn't really talked to him.

"Clary?" I looked up to see my new husband smiling down at me. "Did you hear what they just said?"

I snapped out of my daze and responded maybe a little too quickly and abruptly, "Sorry, I wasn't listening."

Everyone laughed, including my mother who repeated herself. "I was just saying, since you and Jace couldn't have a real, big wedding, your father and I are sending you on a honeymoon."

"Oh." A honeymoon? I hope they didn't expect me to have sex with this guy because there was no way in hell that was happening anytime soon. I faked a smile to indulge my glaring father. "That sounds great! Thank you."

"Well, Clary," my mother continued, taking my arm and leading me up the stairs, "You should go get changed. Your flight leaves in an hour. Don't worry about packing. We will give you money to buy everything you need, and then while you are gone, Jon will move your stuff to Jace's apartment."

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously.

"It's a surprise!" She clapped her hands together in an excited way.

My mom helped me get out of the wedding dress and take down my hair and then left me to get dressed, saying, "Come down when you are ready."

Once my mom left the room, I put on my favorite sweater and a pair of light-colored jeans. I went to the bathroom to take off the makeup as well, but when I looked in the mirror, I decided it was simple enough to keep on. When I was happy with how I looked, I headed back downstairs. Jace had also changed and was now wearing dark jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black leather jacket. Everyone was gathered by the door, so I guessed it was already time to leave.

"There you are, Clary," my mother said, handing me a small, blue backpack. "Everything you'll need is in here: your tickets, your ID, your passport, a credit card, a new phone, and your sketchbook."

I unzipped the bag and made sure everything was there that she said. "Thanks, Mom," I said, pulling her into a hug.

Before I could pull away, she pulled me closer and whispered in my ear, "You won't be able to come back here, Clary, but I promise you that you will see me again."

It hadn't crossed my mind yet that by moving to the city, I would be leaving my family behind. Now my mother and I were both crying, and it was time to say goodbye to everyone else. I gave my father a quick hug and an even quicker "I love you". I was still furious at him, but he was still my dad. I spent more time saying goodbye to Jon.

"You've been so quiet today," I said while I hugged him.

"Yeah, well, I still don't like this."

"Me neither," I whispered it so only he could hear. "Sneak out and visit me?"

"Of course!" he smiled. "I won't last a week without seeing your annoying face every day."

Only Jon could make me laugh on a day like today. I turned around to find Jace shaking my father's hand and then giving my mother a hug. At least he was polite.

"Stephen and Celine will drive you to the airport," my mother explained. "Have fun. I love you, Clary."

"Love you too," I said, making my way out the door.

It was sad leaving the only place I had ever known, but, for the first time, I was going to see what else was out there. I got in the back of the Herondale's car- a nice-looking, small, black car- and sat next to Jace. We were all quiet on the way to the airport. I don't know how long the car ride was, though, because I was too busy staring out the window at a whole new world, ready for me to discover. Then we arrived at the airport, the most interesting building I had ever seen, and I was only looking at the outside. We all got out of the car, and I waited patiently while Jace said goodbye to his parents. They both gave me hugs as well, but I could tell they weren't happy.

The inside of the airport was even better than the outside. As soon as we walked through the doors, my eyes flew to the ceiling, which seemed to be a mile away. The walls and floors were all full or interesting shapes and colors, and there were counters and lines everywhere. And there were so many people. Adults. Families. Kids. Teenagers. Black people. White people. Asian people. People dressed in suits. People wearing sweats. There were so many people, and all of them were different. All of them were individuals.

"Watch out!" someone yelled as I was pulled backwards by my hand. Apparently I was so busy looking at everything that I almost ran into someone. Jace had come to my rescue just in time.

"Whoops!" I said, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, it's just that I've never seen this many people before."

"Its fine," Jace replied. "Just stay with me. I don't want you to get lost."

He led me to a long line of people, and I realized he was still holding my hand. I didn't mind though. Like he said, this place was big and, I didn't want to get lost.

"Okay, now get out the tickets and your ID and passport."

I opened the backpack and handed him his ticket. After I had my ticket, ID, and passport, I re-zipped the backpack and started to sling it back onto my back.

"Do you want me to carry that?" he asked.

"Umm…" It wasn't heavy, but I didn't really want to carry it. "Sure."

I handed him the backpack, and he put it on his back. Then he started explaining what I needed to do.

"Up there you will give everything to the security guard, and he will stamp it. Then find me, and we will get in line for the metal detector. You will have to take off your shoes, but don't worry about that yet."

We made it through the giant line and to our gate with twenty minutes to spare, so we sat down in these weird black chairs that weren't very comfortable. This was pretty much our first opportunity to talk, but I could only think of one question.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, rather vaguely and abruptly.

"Do what?" Jace seemed genuinely confused.

"Marry me?"

"Well, why did you do it?" he asked, avoiding the question.

"My father forced me," I said matter-of-factly. "That and I want to live a normal life. You know you are the first guy I've met besides my brother."

"Wait, so you don't know anyone other than your family? You don't have any friends?"

"No, but you are avoiding my question," I laughed.

"Your father forced me as well."

"What do you mean?" How could my father force him if they'd never met before today?

"Well," he began, "I long time ago, before I was born, my dad was married to another woman. Your father didn't like her and made him divorce her and marry my mom. He did it because he was your father's 'second-in-command'. I don't really know what that means, but they were friends before your father went into hiding. A few weeks ago he threatened to do the same thing. He was going to make my dad divorce my mom so that he could marry you, but he found out about me, and I volunteered."

"That's sick!" I made a disgusted face. "I mean, this whole situation is sick, but that…"

"I know."

"Thank you," I said. Jace made a confused face, so I clarified. "I know you did it to save your parents' marriage, but I'm glad it was you."

"I'm glad it was you, too," he said with a smile. "I was terrified you were going to be some ugly, anti-social girl, but you… you are gorgeous."

Oh my god. No one had ever told me that before, so I replied with a joke. "You still haven't seen me in the mornings."

As we both laughed, the announcement came on to start the boarding.


	4. Chapter 4

"Clary, are you alright?" Jace asked as the plane started to move away from the gate.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied. I had never been on a plane before, but so far, I was terrified of flying.

"No, you're not."

I turned to look at his smiling, golden face. "This does not feel safe."

"Relax," he said, taking my hand in his and lacing our fingers together. "If you liked the view from the car, you'll love this."

He had given me the window seat and I watched as the plane gained speed. The scene outside became a blur. Then the plane tilted up and we were in the air. I squeezed Jace's hand hard until we were level again. It still felt unsafe, and the plane kept shaking, but the view was worth it.

"Jace, look!" I said, pointing out the tiny window. "Everything is so small!"

He was looking over my shoulder, but I could tell he was more interested in my reaction that the actual view.

"The world is so big…"

Jace smiled. "Just wait. In a few hours, it will look completely different."

The thought excited me. If everything below us was just the city, then New York must be huge. Then the sheer size of the whole world bewildered me. Who knew there was more to life than our little farmhouse? Suddenly very excited for my life to begin, I stared out the window until he clouds hid everything from view.

"Welcome to London," the flight attendant said with a smile as we exited the plane.

"So, have you ever been here before?" I asked Jace as we made our way through another airport.

"Just once," he answered as he read the signs above us. "We came for the day after visiting some cousins in Whales. That was probably ten years ago, though."

"What's it like?"

"London's very… different." He took his time, choosing his words carefully.

"How so?" I asked, muddled by his vague response.

"You'll see."

We didn't have any bags to get so Jace got a cab to take us to our hotel. It was already dark out when we landed, so it was difficult to see everything, but from what I could tell, Jace was right. First of all, the cars drove on the other side of the road here. At first I thought we were on the wrong side and that we would crash head on into oncoming traffic, but when I told Jace he explained to me that they drive on the left side of the road all over Europe. I kept my eyes on the scene outside the window the whole ride to the hotel. Even though it was dark, I could see most of the building, and they were very different style than those in America. Most of the buildings had an old look to them that I couldn't describe.

Our hotel had the same look. It was tall and expensive looking with seven different flags hanging over the main, revolving door. Inside, in the lobby, there were some leather couches, a few big, floppy plants, and a large waterfall. As Jace checked us in, I listened to the sweet melody of a violin, wafting in from an adjacent room.

"All checked in," Jace said, suddenly snapping me out of my reverie. "Do you want one of the keys?"

"Oh. Yes!" I have no idea why, but that sound very exciting to me.

Jace laughed at me as he handed me a plastic card with an abstract design of red and blue.

"How is this a key?" I asked as he led me to the elevator.

"You swipe it like a credit card and it unlocks the door."

"Oh," I said even though I still couldn't picture it.

Then the elevator started to move, jerking upward and almost making me lose my balance. "Wow."

"This is called an elevator," Jace laughed.

"I know what an elevator is, idiot. I've just never ridden one."

"Something tells me there are a lot of thing that you have never done that you will be doing on this trip."

What was he insinuating? I glared at him.

"Oh, no," he apologized. "Really, I didn't mean it like that."

"Look, I know I'm this freak that's never been anywhere before, but I would appreciate it if you didn't make fun of me."

"You're right," Jae said with an apologetic smile that I couldn't resist. I smiled back just as the elevator doors opened.

"Here we are. Room 307," he announced.

He let me use the key card to open the door, and I'm not going to lie, it was pretty cool. The inside of the room was large and spacious. There was a widow at the other end covered in embroidered drapes. A clean bathroom was to the right, and a huge TV sat across from a king bed in the middle of the room. There was no couch. I guess we would both have to sleep in the bed.

Then something occurred to me. "I don't have anything to sleep in."

"Well, it's too late to go out and get something now."

"I can just sleep in my clothes," I said even though I was dying to get out of my jeans.

"Don't be silly."

Jace ripped off his T-shirt faster than I could brace myself. I had meant to look away, but his muscles were so perfect. I looked like an idiot when the shirt fell to my feet as I forgot to catch it. Blushing, I picked it up and turned around to get undressed.

"Um…" I said awkwardly. "Could you go to the bathroom?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure."

As soon as Jace was gone, I shimmied out of my jeans, pulled off my sweater, and put on his white T-shirt. Then I got into bed, making sure I was covered by the sheets before I told him he could come out. When he did, he was only wearing a pair of black boxers. This time, luckily, I caught myself and looked away as he got into bed next to me. That night, I got the best sleep I had ever had, on a different bed, in a different country, and with a stranger sleeping next to me.

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is short but I really want to take my time planning out their trip which will be the next one or two chapters... it might take awhile I am sorry! Keep reviewing! **

**XOXO Love ya**


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up in a panic, completely unaware of where I was. The air was frigid and fresh, like a light breeze in the winter. It was also pitch black, which was odd because I was always able to see in my room at night by the light of the moon. Then I remember that I wasn't in my room. Suddenly, something brushed up against my foot and I suppressed a scream. I had forgotten that there was someone else in the room. In my bed. A boy. _Well he's definitely not a boy, based on the muscles I had seen earlier, but it felt silly to call him a man. _Husband. Jace is my husband now.

And just like that, I couldn't breathe. I drew in quick gasps as I tried to slow my heartbeat, but nothing was working. There was a distinct tightening in my chest, like something was squeezing my heart. Instinctively, my hand flew to the nightstand, but my inhaler wasn't there. We hadn't gone to the store yet. I grasped my collarbone, wanting more than anything to take one, good, deep breath, but none would come. My gasps turned to choking noises and, finally, sobs.

I was started by the sudden movement in the bed as Jace sat up and placed his hand on my back in a comforting manner. In normal circumstances, I probably would've swatted his hand away, but these circumstances were in no way normal. Besides my father, it was these attacks that scared me the most.

"Clary," Jace said gently, yet concerned, "What's wrong?"

I choked a bit more until I could half-mouth/half-whisper, "Asthma…"

This was the first time I didn't have my inhaler to save me, and the attack wasn't going away or getting any better. In fact, it was getting worse. I was starting to feel dizzy, and my eyes rolled around in their sockets.

"Clary!" Jace said, almost in a shout, his tone fully of worry. I blinked my eyes rapidly as I watched him reach for the phone. And then the world went black.

Jace's P.O.V

It too three minutes for the ambulance to reach our hotel, and those three minutes were the worst in my life so far. I held Clary in my arms, slightly thankful that she was unconscious, so I could make sure her heart was still beating. I felt so alone. The only person I knew in this foreign country, who I had met just yesterday, was being ushered into an ambulance.

"Are you family?" asked a rotund man with a heavy British accent, one of the paramedics.

I was about to lie and say that I was her brother when I remembered that I was family. I was reluctant to call Clary my wife, so I said simply, "We're on our honeymoon."

The man furrowed his brow. "Is she pregnant?"

"What?" I asked in shock. "No!"

"Sorry, it's just that you're both so young, and we would need to know that information right away."

"She is not pregnant," I said firmly.

"I believe you." He climbed into the back of the ambulance. "Hope in."

On the way to the hospital, they injected Clary with something, but I didn't feel like asking too many questions. When we got there, the doctors wheeled her off on a gurney and left me to wait in the waiting room, which was filled with people. I collapsed against a nearby wall and let myself sink to the ground. Realizing I left my cell phone at home, I used the payphone to call my parents. There was no answer which meant they were asleep. A few minutes later, a nurse came by to give me some paperwork to fill out. And then I sat and waited. I had been waiting for about an hour when a doctor came out to talk to me.

"Jace Herondale, I presume?" The doctor was an older man with balding grey hair.

I nodded.

"Hello, I am Dr. Penhallow," he said in a smooth British accent, much nicer than the paramedic's. "Your wife had an asthma attack which was made more severe by a panic attack. Without an inhaler, if you had not called the ambulance, she could have easily asphyxiated to death."

I twinged at the words "wife" and "death", but I nodded in apprehension.

"Basically we gave her medication for the asthmas symptoms. She's on oxygen now, but the rest should happen on its own. We just want to keep her overnight for observation."

"Can I see her?" I couldn't take this loneliness any longer, and I knew if Clary woke up all alone, in the hospital, she would freak out again.

Dr. Penhallow smiled. "I think I can arrange that."

Clary's P.O.V

I woke up slowly, to the sound of beeping machines and an odd pressure on my hand. My eyelids felt heavy, and it took some time to get them open and adjusted to the light. The lights in this room were very bright, and at first I thought I had died and was in heaven because I thought I saw an angel. No, that was just Jace, his golden hair reminding me of a halo. He looked tired and worn out, but still somehow put together. All I could think was, _I must look like hell compared to him. _

I opened my mouth to ask him a million questions, but all that came out was a whisper of a groan. Jace heard me and reacted by moving his hand, which I realized had been holding mine.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," he said in a light tone that told me everything was fine, but I could see the worry in his eyes.

I opened my mouth to attempt to speak again, but he held up his hand to stop me.

"You're fine. You had an asthma attack without your inhaler, so you're in the hospital, but everything is fine. We will just cut our trip a little short."

"But our trip hasn't even started yet…" I said sadly, finally fining my words. I was really looking forward to seeing London. "We didn't even see the city."

"I know," Jace said in a way I could tell he was disappointed as well, "But I talked to my mom, and she thinks it would be better for us to just come home. We have a flight tonight."

"Will I be okay by then?" I still didn't know the severity of my condition.

"The doctor said it would be fine. He also said you could be discharged as soon as you wake up." He broke his serious face with a smile. "You've been sleeping for the past seven hours."

"Ah! She's awake!" said a cheery doctor who happened to be passing by our room. He walked over to stand at the end of the hospital bed. "Mrs. Herondale, I'm Dr. Penhallow."

My eyes widened at the name. First of all, I was a "Mrs". Second of all, I was a Herondale.

"So," continued Dr. Penhallow, "I checked all your levels a few minutes ago and it looks like you are fine again. You are free to leave as soon as you feel ready."

"Well, in that case," I said, turning to Jace, "Let's go home."

**A/N: Ok, I know what you're all thinking... WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?** **I know, I'm sorry but I did warn you. With school and AP classes and homework I have literally not time. Its a miracle you are getting this chapter. So I originally had really cute idea for the london part but I wanted it to be perfect which would require lots of research since I've never actually been there... so I came up with this solution and this way I can introduce more characters in just 2 chapters! Yay! Only I have no idea when I will be able to write those chapters... I will try my best to do it this weekend but I make no promises!**

**Love you guys! Please review! **

**also disclaimer: (I'm really bad and always forget this) but i dont own any of these characters and we all know who does so there dont**


	6. Chapter 6

When I woke up, I was still wearing the clothes I had worn on the plane ride home. I was aware that I was in Jace's apartment, or, rather, our apartment, but I didn't actually remember getting there. I did remember that it was raining when our plan landed, and then we got a cab, but after that: nothing. I fumbled around next to me, feeling for a lamb. When I found one, I turned it on and saw with surprise that my inhaler was laying on the nightstand. Jace must have put it there in case I had another attack.

With the light on, I got my first look at my new home. My first impression: Jace's bedroom was much neater than I would've expected for a teenaged boy. Nothing was strewn over the floor or bed as my clothes always were in my old room. The walls were bare, painted a simple mauve color. There were no pictures or posters or practically anything else in the room except the queen bed she was lying in, the nightstand, a naked desk, and a matching dresser. Of all people, Jace Herondale was the last person I expected to be a minimalist.

A look at the clock told me it was 1:47 pm. That was strange because I usually got up naturally around eight or nine o'clock, a habit that Jon definitely did not share. _I should probably get up, _I thought, opening the door and walking out into the living room where I found Jace, sitting on the couch and playing a video game.

He paused the game when he heard me come in and said in a cheerful voice, "Good morning, sleeping beauty! Or, more accurately, good afternoon… I made breakfast, but it's cold now." He gestured to the small kitchen where a plate of bacon was sitting.

"Thank you," I said, my words getting wrapped up in a yawn.

I walked to the kitchen and picked up a piece of crispy bacon that was now cold and, frankly, a little burned. As I ate, I observed the rest of the apartment. Jace's apartment had two bedrooms, ours and a small guest room. There was one bathroom connected to Jace's bedroom and a smaller one next to the kitchen. The entire place was just as clean and put together as the bedroom except for one wall. I didn't see it before because I was facing the other way, but on the wall where the bedroom door was, there were stacks and stacks of boxes. My boxes.

"Oh, yeah," Jace said, noticing my wandering eyes, "Your stuff is here, but since we came home early the movers didn't finish unpacking, so we have that to look forward to today."

I sighed audibly. I really did not feel up to unpacking my stuff today. My chest still felt tight from the incident in London, and I slept so long last night that I was extra tired. Sure, Jace would help when he could, but I would have to do most of the work, sorting and finding a place for everything.

Jace must've sensed my annoyance because he continued, "Or… we could blow it off and go out instead."

I perked up a bit at the idea of another option and smiled. "Definitely. Let's blow it off."

Jace, misleading as ever, failed to mention that we would be going out with his friends, meaning I would have to meet more people and physically exert energy by socializing. However, I still liked it better than the alternative. We were walking to a small coffee shop, where Jace normally worked, but he was off since we were still supposed to be in England. It was just around the corner, really, from our apartment, and it only took ten minutes to get there on foot.

Before we went in, I pulled Jace to the side. There was a question I had been pondering since I woke up, and I wanted to ask him while we were still alone. "Jace, how did I get into bed last night?"

He looked amused, like he was about to laugh, but also slightly embarrassed. "Um… you fell asleep in the cab, so I carried you inside."

"But the apartment is on the third floor," I said in astonishment.

"Give me some credit." He laughed for real this time. "I'm stronger than I look."

He flexed one bicep and then the other, making a strange sort of duck-face, and making me laugh. "Let's go in, now!"

As I turned toward the door of the coffee house, glass with a green, wooden trim and a large, brass knob, Jace's hand found mine. I gasped in shock and pulled my hand back out of surprise.

"What do you think you are doing?" I asked in anger, shooting him daggers from my eyes.

"They don't know why we got married," he explained. "I thought we might as well give them a show."

I had never really had friends before, so I didn't know the exact protocol in this type of situation. But I never thought about what we would tell his friends, or about what Jace had already told them, for that matter. I hesitated, while Jace looked at me with pleading eyes, until I finally rolled my eyes and laced my fingers through his. Jace pulled me into the coffee shop, and all I could think about was how sturdy his hand was, not sweaty and not rough, but firm.

**A/N: So its a short chapter, but I thought that would be a good break... I've been super busy with school and that is why this is so late, but I might have time to give you guys another chapter either this weekend or next weekend.**

**Remember to REVIEW! Luv ya guys!**


	7. Chapter 7

The inside of Java Jones was filled with mismatched couches, chairs, and tables, and dim lighting gave the room a warm aura. I was lead to the back, where a couple was sitting on an old, ripped, dark green couch. The boy, who looked to be about my age and who was wearing dorky looking glasses, looked up as we walked in and smiled wide. The girl also looked up but she looked slightly annoyed, not at us, but at her boyfriend.

"Is this her, then?" the boy asked as we approached. "Is this Clary?"

"Yep," Jace answered for me with enthusiasm. "Clary, this is Simon and Isabelle. Isabelle, Simon, this is my…Clary."

_Nice word choice there, Jace. Because if we just avoid using the technical terms, this won't be awkward at all, _I thought sarcastically, rolling my eyes the slightest bit.

The boy, Simon, spoke first with a friendly grin, "Hi, Clary! It's nice to finally meet you."

There was an awkward silence, as we all just stood there, fully comprehending the extreme weirdness of this strange situation. Jace was the one to break it, murmuring that he would go get coffee for the two of them, since Simon and Isabelle had already gotten theirs. He crossed the café to the counter, leaving me alone with his friends, one of whom was still glaring at me like I was a home wrecking whore. I stood there, unmoving, as Isabelle Lightwood scanned me up and down with so much judgment in her eyes you would think I was receiving a grade for my outfit.

"So," she said, glaring at me, "When's the baby due?"

"Isabelle!" Simon gasped at his girlfriend, chastising her for being so blunt.

"What?" Isabelle said, raising her eyebrows to defend herself. She turned back to face me, still shocking and gaping in horror, and said assumingly, "I mean, why else would they have gotten married?"

"Uh…I…" I chocked on my words with no idea how to respond. Luckily I was saved by the bell. And by that, I mean the literal bell, the one on the door to the coffee shop.

Isabelle gazed over my head, looking relieved, "Thank god, they are finally here!"

I turned my head to see who Isabelle was referring to. Two men had gust walked in, one in all dark clothing, walking with his head down behind the other who was all bright colors and sparkles. The sparkly one, who was ethnic looking with spiky dark hair, walked up to me with open arms and a bright smile.

"You must be Clary!" he said enthusiastically pulling me into a hug. "So, when's the baby due?"

There was a shattering noise; we all turned to see Jace, who had walked up at the worst possible time, with two brightly colored coffee mugs, broken at his feet. Coffee was pooling around his shoes, but somehow I think that had nothing to do with the startled look on his face.

"What did you say, Magnus?" he asked the sparkly guy. "Who told you Clary was pregnant?"

"It's obvious!" Magnus said with a wink. "I mean why else would you get married? Sorry, but the secret's out."

"There is no secret!" Jace's face was red with embarrassment and anger.

"I'm not pregnant," I said, my voice full of innocence, "Really." _They don't even know how true that statement was. It would take a miracle for a virgin shut-in like me to have a baby. But I suppose "virgin" wouldn't be my best argument in this situation… when I'm married._

Magnus's face drooped in disappointment. "I really wanted to be an uncle."

"Magnus," It was Isabelle who spoke, "You do know that you and Jace aren't related, right? Like, not even a little bit."

Jace had gone to get a waitress to clean up the spilled coffee, charming her with his good looks so he wouldn't have to pay for another two cups, but now he was back at my side. For once I was glad when his arm slid reassuringly behind my back.

"Clary, this is Alec," he said gesturing to the other boy who had been silent the whole time. "He is like my brother. We've known each other forever."

Alec, who had finally looked up from the floor, had stunning blue eyes that contrasted to his almost black hair and fair skin. Dressed in all black he almost looked like…

"Isabelle is my sister," Alec explained. "It's nice to meet you, Clary."

Jace continued with his introductions, "And this inconsiderate rainbow over here is his boyfriend, Magnus."

_Boyfriend? I don't know whether to be shocked, appalled, or pleased. I have never met a gay person before, let alone a gay couple. _

"I'm sorry about before," Magnus said apologetically.

"It's fine. I can see why you would think… that."

"This has been such an interesting start to the day," Jace said, clapping his hands together, "But how about we all sit down and act like _civilized _human beings for a while."

**A/N: OMG WHAT!? 2 chapters in one day after months of radio silence? That's right. This is not a drill... So I hope you are liking the story so far. We got some new characters in this chapter so that was exciting... I tried to make this chapter funny so I hope you laughed!**

**Don't forget to REVIEW and FAVORITE and FOLLOW this story and try out some of my other stuff! **

**P.S. If you haven't read the Selection by Kiera Cass, you need to do that like right now and then read my story "The Hero". Its a super romantic series and I know you will love it ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

We had been walking for what seemed like hours, weaving through crowds so thick, the cold wind was barely noticeable. I gripped Jace's hand hard as he shoved people out of the way so we could walk while I stared straight up at the giant, train-shaped balloon. People all around us were screaming, and there was a song blaring from the nearest float, so I could hear Jace calling my name.

"Clary!" he screamed in my ear, snapping me back into reality.

"What?" I asked, still trying to sneak peeks at the parade from the corner of my eye.

His face broke out in a smile. "You are so adorable. I promise, you can watch the entire parade from the balcony once we get to my parent's place."

That made me grin. "Ok," I conceded and let him drag me through the rest of the crowd.

The elevator ride up to the penthouse of the Institute building was silent and full of all the apprehension I was feeling toward spending Thanksgiving with the Herondales and the Lightwoods. Somehow my mind kept wondering back to the stacks of boxes that still sat unopened back at our apartment. The idea of unpacking them was not a welcome distraction, however. I glanced at Jace, to see if he was nervous as well, but he looked more bored than worried.

He sensed my gazed, and reading my mind, consoled me by saying, "You'll be fine."

His words and his smile sent a wave of warmth through my core and forced me to relax.

Then there was a ding and a high pitched "Jace!" and the gold elevator doors opened to reveal a small, dark haired boy with glasses, running full speed at Jace with open arms. He jumped and Jace pulled him into a tight hug and spun him around.

"Clary, this is Max Lightwood, Alec and Isabelle's little brother," Jace explained as we got off the elevator.

"It's nice to meet you, Max," I said, extending my hand for him to shake. "I'm Clary."

Max, however, ignored my hand and pulled me into a big hug. He put his mouth near my ear and whispered, as if it were a secret, "Jace is great, isn't he? I'm glad he has you!"

* * *

**A/N:**

**Sorry about the original upload. I have no idea what happened. Anyways, this is the Thanksgiving chapter and it is very short so forgive me, I have been really busy. Hope you guys like it and REVIEW PLEASE!**


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